Macron will maintain government at the Olympics while left agrees on candidate for prime minister

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday he would keep his centrist interim government in place through the Olympics, while the left-wing New Popular Front alliance announced it had agreed on a candidate for prime minister.

“Our responsibility is to ensure that the Games go well,” Macron told broadcaster France 2. “Of course we are not in a position to change things until mid-August because we would create disorder.”

The Paris Olympics are due to begin on Friday, with preliminary action in certain disciplines beginning on Wednesday.

Macron’s comments followed the New Popular Front’s announcement that it is proposing that civil servant Lucie Castets form a government, potentially ending weeks of infighting since the new alliance won a surprise victory in the second round of elections. parliamentarians.

The left camp – made up of the Socialists, the Greens, the Communists and the firebrand Jean-Luc MélenchonFar-left France Unsubmissive defeated Marine Le Pen’s National Rally in the July 7 elections, with Macron’s centrist alliance finishing second.

However, it initially struggled to capitalize on its success, with Mélenchon’s party temporarily suspending negotiations after weeks of wrangling.

Macron – who is responsible for nominating the prime minister in the French political system – said Castets would need to attract support in France’s lower house, the National Assembly, where no party or alliance has a majority after the elections.

“The question is: what majority can develop in the National Assembly so that a French government can promote reforms, pass a budget and move the country forward?” asked Macron.

Following Macron’s comments, centrist interim Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, who initially tendered his resignation after the elections, appears likely to remain in office until after the Olympics.

However, the political problems Macron has faced in recent months – including a resounding defeat in the European Parliament elections in June – do not appear to have undermined the president’s fighting spirit.

In response to a question about whether he should resign if the turmoil continues, Macron said he would fulfill his mandate “in its entirety”.